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Friday, July 26, 2013

Sepia Saturday: Yours Till

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to
share family history through old photographs.

This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt is every family
historian’s dream: the family
bible. That record of births and deaths
has been at the core of many a fight when dividing the family treasures. My sister and I didn’t have that worry
because there was no family bible to fight over.

One day while Momma was undergoing chemo treatments, my
sister and I sprawled out across the bed with her and pulled out the autograph
book. Unlike most things that were
packed away, the autograph book was always nearby in a valet on the dresser. We had read it numerous times. Oh, there are no famous signatures, just silly
poems written by Momma’s friends back in 1940 and 1941 when she was about 11-12
years old. Yet we always laughed
hysterically as if reading them for the first time.

That day Momma said, “All the nice things in this house
and you’ll probably fight over who gets the autograph book.”

Hmm, wuddayaknow, look who has it.

Silly poems, bad spelling, and promises of devotion penciled on faded
pastel pages of pink, yellow, and green reflect the innocence of the pre-teen
years and the emerging interest in BOYS.
I don’t know if the autograph book stands on its own or if it’s one of
those “you had to be there” to appreciate it.
So at the risk of failing to amuse, I am sharing some of my favorite
entries.

Dec. 25, 1940

Shenandoah

Dear Mary,

When you get married and live on a hill send me a kiss by
the whipperwhill. [sic]

Anne Staples

[a friend who lived one street away]

May 29, 1941

When you get married and move down South remember me and
my big mouth

When you get married and married [sic] and have
twins. Don’t come to me for safty [sic]
pins.

Three little words

Forget me not

Your Frined [sic]

Iris Budd

[a neighborhood friend in Cradock]

Dec. 25, 1940

Shenandoah VA

Dear Mary,

Do as your mother bids you, and do it with grace. And when the boys try to kiss you slap them
in the face.

What a TREASURE! I remember the autograph books with the pastel pages...may have even had one. Truly, these poems are very creative and so funny...I can see how you were ALL so entertained every time you read them. A very special memory of your Mother, as well.

My Favorite is "Down in the valley" by Joanne...hopeless Romantic!!! Thanks for sharing all of them...a great post.

I can't match that autograph book but I have just made this comment on Little Nell's post = Now I am wondering what happened to my autograph book in which someone wrote on the last page, "By hook or by crook, I'll be last in this book. And by the skin of my teeth I'll again be underneath."

It's so true about those family fights over bibles and well everything else, sometimes. My post features my grandfather's everyday bible, weathered, torn, tattered and mostly in pieces from my own use of it now. But I didn't have to fight over that one. Everyone wanted his larger and more lavish bible! It's funny I hadn't even thought of autograph books until now! As always it's so interesting learning about your family history.

A lovely post. Autograph books are wonderful for prompting the memory. What are the young ones going to have to provide them with memories. After all we don't remember everything without a bit of a reminder to start us off.

How sweet! My aunt has the bible that she wrote everything in...I remember when our families all got together and there was a dispute over someone's age or when they had been married- (ones not present,) she would whip out the bible and set us straight.Happy Weekend!

Great minds Wendy, although yours comes from a different generation. I don't have my Mum's autograph book, but, like you, I remember reading it as a child. I remember writing in it too - how naughty. This one of yours is delightful.

A super twist on the theme, Wendy. This would make a great photo-puzzle where the challenge is to match faces to poems! It's interesting how previous eras had such a fashion for sentimentality. You can hear it in the song lyrics of the period too.

I'm as curious as Brett. Whose name was erased? Did you ever ask your mother? There's a story there. All of these poems are boy related. It sure was a sign of the times, wasn't it. I wonder what kids are writing in autograph books these days. Do they even have autograph books? Probably not. They just text each other and the poems are lost to the ages. What a shame.Nancy

Yeah, the computer age seems to have changed all those opportunities to pen silliness for the ages. Although on the crime shows, somebody seems to be able to hack into other people' history to uncover clues. Maybe one day, our hard drives will be the Rosetta Stone to civilization as we lived it.

Wendy, what fun you and your sister must have had sharing those moments with your mom. My Aunt Olive has an autograph book of the same vintage that she allowed me to scan. A treasure. Think I might go and have another look-see.

Ooh! just when mum and dad have arrived with a huge box of memorabilia for me to scan and photocopy, you have made me want to go and find my own autograph book with its funny little poems. Another distraction!I wonder, is facebook the autograph book of today's youth? Not nearly so personal though and not usually very witty.

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About Me

My name is Wendy. About twenty years ago, I helped my mother research the Jolletts. Since retiring from teaching, I have expanded my research which I share here. When I’m not looking for my own family, I index for FamilySearch and the Greene County Historical Society.
Welcome to Jollett Etc. Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. If you have more information or believe we are related, EMAIL ME at wendymath at cox dot net